2007 ACC Championship Game
2007 Dr. Pepper ACC Championship Game | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conference Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date | December 1, 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Season | Nielsen ratings | 4.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Atlantic Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 10 Boston College x | 6 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 21 Clemson | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wake Forest | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida State | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maryland | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NC State | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coastal Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 9 Virginia Tech x$ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Virginia | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia Tech | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Miami (FL) | 2 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Duke | 0 | – | 8 | 1 | – | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Virginia Tech 30, Boston College 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AP Poll
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The 2007 Dr. Pepper
Following the loss, Virginia Tech won five straight games to win the Coastal Division of the ACC, while Boston College stumbled, losing two games before defeating the Clemson Tigers to win the Atlantic Division and representation in the Championship Game. Most pre-game media coverage of the event cast the game as an opportunity for Virginia Tech to avenge its earlier loss. In addition, the winner of the game would be awarded an automatic bid to the
In the opening quarter of the game, the Eagles took a 7–0 lead on a 51-yard
The play changed the momentum of the game. Virginia Tech added a tying touchdown before
Background
The ACC Championship Game matches the winner of the Coastal and Atlantic Divisions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. A conference championship game was added in 2005, as a result of the league's expansion the previous year, adding former Big East members Miami,[2] Virginia Tech,[3] and Boston College.[4] With the addition of Boston College, the ACC consisted of 12 teams, allowing it to hold a conference championship game under NCAA rules.[5]
Florida State defeated Virginia Tech, 27–22 in the first ACC Championship game.[6] The following year, the game, held in Jacksonville, Florida, pitted Wake Forest against Georgia Tech, with Wake Forest winning 9–6.[7] Before the 2007 season began, most sports writers and pollsters predicted Florida State would win the Atlantic Division while Virginia Tech would win the Coastal Division, setting up a rematch of the 2005 ACC Championship Game.[8]
In October, Florida State lost back-to-back ACC conference games to Wake Forest and Miami, eliminating them from contention for their division title.[9] Boston College, which had finished second in the preseason Atlantic Division poll, was ranked No. 2 in the country after Florida State's loss to Miami.[10] Virginia Tech, which suffered a 48–7 defeat at the hands of then-No. 2 LSU,[11] nevertheless remained at the top of the Coastal Division standings as the Eagles passed the Seminoles for the Atlantic Division lead.
On October 25, Boston College traveled to Blacksburg, Virginia, home of Virginia Tech, for a Thursday night game broadcast on ESPN.[12] In heavy rain, Virginia Tech's defense dominated for most of the game.[13] As time ran down, however, Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan orchestrated two late-game touchdown drives, scoring 14 points in the final 2 minutes to win 14–10.[13] The victory seemingly sealed Boston College's route to a national championship game, while the loss potentially jeopardized Virginia Tech's chances of being selected to play in the ACC Championship Game.[14] Over the next two weeks, however, Boston College was upset by Florida State and Maryland.[15] The Eagles rallied to win their final two games—against Miami and Clemson—to clinch the division title.[16] Virginia Tech, meanwhile, was undefeated through the remainder of its schedule, including a division-clinching win over its archrival, Virginia.[17] This meant the ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville would be a rematch between these two division champions.
Pre-game buildup
In the weeks leading up to the game, there was much media discussion of the future site of the game due to Jacksonville's expiring contract to host the ACC Championship.[18] The media also discussed whether Virginia Tech would be out for revenge against Boston College after its last-second defeat in Blacksburg on October 25.[19] Despite its previous loss, spread bettors favored Virginia Tech to win the game, with most favoring the Hokies by 4.5–5 points.[20]
The game was the 15th contest between Boston College and Virginia Tech and was their second of the 2007 season.[21] The first meeting, which took place in 1993 in the Big East conference, resulted in a 48–34 Boston College win. Between 1993 and 2003, Boston College and Virginia Tech played annually as part of their conference schedules.[21] The teams did not meet in 2004 following Virginia Tech's move to the Atlantic Coast Conference. When Boston College followed in 2005, the schools resumed meeting during the regular season, playing in 2005, 2006, and 2007.[21]
Off-field issues
Following the 2006 ACC Championship Game, the Gator Bowl Association, which administered the ACC Championship Game during its first two years of existence, was awarded a one-year extension to its two-year contract to host the game.[22] The 2006 game suffered from poor attendance, resulting in over $1 million in losses for the Gator Bowl Association. In the off-season, the Gator Bowl Association declared that if sales did not improve for the 2007 ACC Championship game, the game's Jacksonville future would be in jeopardy.[23] Attendance for the 2006 game was low due to high travel costs stemming from Jacksonville's distance from the participating schools, and the 2007 participants—Boston College and Virginia Tech—faced the same problem.[22][24]
With Jacksonville's future as host in doubt, representatives from Charlotte, North Carolina, Tampa, Florida, and Jacksonville visited the ACC offices to lobby to host the 2008 game.[25] Orlando, Florida, which had been an early contender to host the 2008 game, was eliminated from consideration before the meetings took place.[26] As kickoff drew closer, the Gator Bowl Association expressed displeasure with the poor ticket sales, saying nearly 20,000 tickets remained unsold as of the week of the game, and that if it was not a sellout the game would likely not remain in Jacksonville.[27]
Offensive matchups
Media attention was also directed at the teams' offensive capabilities. Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in the week leading up to the game.[28] In the first half of the 2007 season, Ryan had been prominently mentioned in candidate lists for the Heisman Trophy, college football's highest individual award.[29] Although Ryan's late-game comeback in their previous game against Virginia Tech had made him a front-runner, the team's two subsequent losses to unranked teams dropped him from contention for the Heisman.[30] Excellent performances in a division-clinching win at Clemson and against Miami seemed to return Ryan to Heisman-candidate form, however, and heading into the ACC Championship Game, Ryan appeared to be the biggest offensive threat for Boston College.[31]
Virginia Tech's offense was led by an unusual two-quarterback system, as junior Sean Glennon shared time with freshman Tyrod Taylor.[32] While Glennon proved to be a better pocket passer, Taylor's quickness enabled him to scramble out of trouble and gain positive yardage even when no open receivers were available for passes. Until the final game of the season, either Taylor or Glennon was hampered by injury and limited the two-quarterback system's effectiveness.[32] Although the two-quarterback system proved effective against Virginia, there were still questions about how well such an unusual setup would work in the ACC Championship Game.[33]
On the ground, Taylor's offensive
The Boston College ground offense was led by
Defensive matchups
Virginia Tech's defense was considered stronger than that of Boston College. For the ACC Championship Game, Virginia Tech returned senior linebacker Vince Hall to the starting lineup. Hall had sat out four straight games, including the previous Boston College match, after suffering a broken forearm and wrist.[19][41] ESPN named Hall and Xavier Adibi, Tech's other senior linebacker, the "best linebacker duo in the country".[42]
On Virginia Tech's defensive secondary,
At the end of the regular season, Boston College was ranked 26th nationally in total defense, and 2nd nationally in run defense.[38] Its pass defense, however, was ranked 106th in the country, and since Boston College was without senior cornerback DeJuan Tribble, who was recovering from a sprained knee ligament,[19] it was expected that the Eagles' linebackers would have to play a very good game to stop Virginia Tech's passing offense. Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who had been named to the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (awarded to the top defensive player in the country) was expected to fill the gaps and stop both rushing and passing elements of Virginia Tech's offense.[43]
In addition,
Game summary
The 2007 ACC Championship Game kicked off at 13:10
The
First quarter
Virginia Tech won the opening coin toss and deferred its option to the second half. Boston College received the opening
Virginia Tech's offense, led by quarterback Sean Glennon, began their first possession at their own 37-yard line. However, a
On the Hokies' second offensive possession, quarterback Tyrod Taylor took the field in place of Sean Glennon. Two successful passes and two short runs resulted in two
After the kickoff, Virginia Tech's offense again failed to advance the ball. After a
Second quarter
At the beginning of the second quarter, the Hokies' defense began to stiffen. Aided by a 10-yard holding penalty against the Eagles, Matt Ryan was forced to complete a 14-yard pass on 4th-and-9 to earn a first down and keep the drive alive. Three incomplete passes followed, however, and the Eagles again settled for a field goal attempt. This time, the 37-yard kick sailed through the
Virginia Tech's first offensive drive of the second quarter began on an auspicious note as quarterback Sean Glennon completed a 16-yard pass to
On the ensuing possession, Boston College needed only seven plays and just under three minutes to travel 74 yards. The drive culminated in a 14-yard quarterback scramble for a touchdown.
Tech quarterback Sean Glennon's first pass of the new possession, long throw downfield, was intercepted by Boston College defender
Beginning at their own 20-yard line, the Virginia Tech offense marched down the field. Running back Branden Ore ran 11 yards for a first down, and two long passes from Sean Glennon to wide receiver Eddie Royal put the Hokies into scoring position. After failing to gain first downs with short runs, Virginia Tech was forced to use its timeouts to stop the clock and the first half from ending before they had a chance to score. On a 3rd-and-7 from the Boston College 13-yard line, Glennon finally connected with wide receiver Josh Hyman, who crossed into the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point tied the game, 16–16.[53]
With no time left to mount an answering drive, Boston College received the kickoff and let time run out. Heading into
Third quarter
Because they deferred their selection to the second half during the opening coin toss, Virginia Tech received the ball to begin the half. The Hokies continued to rotate between quarterbacks Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor during the possession, and picked up two first downs, one through the air and the other on the ground. After Glennon was sacked at the 50-yard line, however, the drive sputtered and the Hokies were forced to punt the ball.[55]
Boston College, in their first possession of the second half, fared even worse than Virginia Tech did. Two incomplete passes and a 5-yard delay of game penalty forced Boston College into a three-and-out possession that resulted in a punt. On its second possession, Virginia Tech had a three-and-out drive, thanks in part to an 11-yard sack of Sean Glennon by Boston College's Kevin Atkins.[55]
After receiving the punt, Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan connected on a 31-yard pass to wide receiver Brandon Robinson. As before, however, the offense stalled. On 4th-and-1 from the Virginia Tech 30-yard line, Ryan attempted a pass that fell incomplete,
The Hokies were forced to punt again, and Brent Bowden's 50-yard punt stuck the Eagles deep in their own territory. The drive began with a five-yard penalty against Boston College and culminated two plays later in a six-yard loss on a sack of Matt Ryan by Hokie defender Barry Booker. Boston College punted, but the kick by Johnny Ayers traveled just 34 yards before sailing out of bounds.[55]
Virginia Tech had good starting field position at their own 44-yard line. One quick first down later, the clock ran out on the third quarter.[55] As neither team had scored in the quarter, the score remained tied at 16–16.[55]
Fourth quarter
Despite starting almost at midfield, the offensive drive that began at the end of the third quarter failed to reach field goal range, and the Hokies were forced to punt. Boston College's offense fared no better, however, and punted after a
After an incomplete pass from quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the Hokies got their first big offensive break of the second half. On a designed play, Taylor scrambled for 31 yards, the largest play in the game for the Hokies. Two successful runs by running back Branden Ore followed, earning the Hokies 23 more yards and pushing the offense deep into Boston College territory. A false-start penalty set the Hokie offense back, but on the next play, quarterback Sean Glennon connected with wide receiver Eddie Royal on a 24-yard strike for a touchdown. The touchdown and extra point were the first points of the second half and gave Virginia Tech a 23–16 lead with 6:30 remaining in the game.[56]
Boston College began its second possession of the fourth quarter knowing it had to score a touchdown to tie the game. Quarterback Matt Ryan had his best success of the day, connecting on seven of ten passes during the drive and picking up 58 yards. All the Eagles' yardage on the drive came through the air, and with 2:25 remaining, the Eagles found themselves at the Virginia Tech 14-yard line. Facing a fourth down and needing four yards for a first down, Matt Ryan fell back to attempt a pass. The throw was intercepted by Virginia Tech's Vince Hall.[56]
Starting at its own 10-yard line, Virginia Tech ran three straight running plays in an effort to run the clock down and prevent Boston College from having enough time to conduct another offensive drive. After the third run was stopped for no gain, however, the Hokies were forced to punt the ball. Boston College now had 28 seconds to score a touchdown and either tie the game with an extra point or win it with a two-point conversion.[56]
The Boston College drive began on its own 35-yard line. With little time remaining, Boston College would have to complete one or more Hail Mary passes. Although the odds of completing one such pass, let alone several, were very low, many Virginia Tech fans remained worried, as Boston College had previously beaten the Hokies in similar circumstances earlier in the season.[13] Matt Ryan's first two passes fell incomplete, and his third was intercepted by Virginia Tech's Xavier Adibi and returned 40 yards for a Virginia Tech touchdown.[56]
The score came with 11 seconds remaining and gave Virginia Tech its final lead, 30–16. With no chance to win, Boston College elected to let the clock run out after receiving the
Final statistics
BC | VT | |
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 24 | 22 |
Total Yards | 389 | 300 |
Passing Yards | 305 | 202 |
Rushing Yards | 84 | 98 |
Penalties | 5–49 | 7–46 |
3rd Down Conversions | 5–16 | 9–16 |
4th Down Conversions | 1–4 | 0–0 |
Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
Time of Possession | 33:47 | 26:13 |
Virginia Tech
Each team finished with two
Virginia Tech statistical recap
Virginia Tech Passing | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
C/ATT | Yds | TD | INT | |
S. Glennon | 18/27 | 174 | 3 | 1 |
T. Taylor | 3/6 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
Virginia Tech Rushing | ||||
Car | Yds | TD | LG | |
B. Ore | 19 | 55 | 0 | 14 |
T. Taylor | 9 | 36 | 0 | 31 |
K. Lewis | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Virginia Tech Receiving | ||||
Rec | Yds | TD | LG | |
J. Morgan | 8 | 55 | 1 | 16 |
E. Royal | 4 | 63 | 1 | 24 |
J. Hyman | 3 | 30 | 1 | 13 |
J. Harper | 2 | 22 | 0 | 13 |
Two-thirds of Virginia Tech's 300
On the ground, Taylor's performance was supplemented by Tech
Leading all Tech
Though its offense performed well, it was Virginia Tech's
On
Boston College statistical recap
Boston College Passing | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
C/ATT | Yds | TD | INT | |
Matt Ryan | 33/52 | 305 | 0 | 2 |
Boston College Rushing | ||||
Car | Yds | TD | LG | |
A. Callender | 15 | 51 | 0 | 11 |
M. Ryan | 6 | 35 | 1 | 19 |
L.V. Whitworth | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Boston College Receiving | ||||
Rec | Yds | TD | LG | |
A. Callender | 13 | 92 | 0 | 19 |
K. Challenger | 4 | 45 | 0 | 19 |
R. Gunnell | 4 | 44 | 0 | 15 |
B. Robinson | 3 | 54 | 0 | 31 |
C. Megawa | 3 | 27 | 0 | 13 |
Though Boston College lost the game on the scoreboard, it won almost every statistical category. Quarterback Matt Ryan outperformed both Hokie quarterbacks combined in passing yardage, throwing for 305 yards.
In the first half, the Eagles offense recorded 20 first downs. In the second half, it managed just four first downs, three of which came in one drive in the fourth quarter.[51] As a result of second-half pressure from Virginia Tech, Ryan was forced into two late-game interceptions, including one that was returned for a Virginia Tech defensive touchdown.[56]
Ryan finished the game with 35 rushing yards, just one short of Hokie quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who had been highly promoted as a runner heading into the game.[59] Ryan finished fourth among all rushers, and Eagle running back Andre Callender, the sole running back on the Eagles' roster, finished second, rushing for 51 yards in the game. Callender game-long 11-yard run helped set up the Eagles for a field goal attempt early in the second quarter.[53]
Callender's true success, however, was in the passing game, where he accrued 92 yards, putting him first among all receivers in the game.
Boston College punter Johnny Ayres kicked four punts a total of 159 yards, including one long kick that traveled 55 yards and set the mark for the third-longest punt in ACC Championship Game history.[59] Kicker Steve Aponavicius successfully kicked a 37-yard field goal early in the second quarter. but after his second kick was blocked, Boston College head coach Jeff Jagodzinski seemed reluctant to try long field goals and instead sent in the offense to attempt to convert the fourth down. Out of four tries, only one fourth down was converted.[57]
On
Post-game effects
Virginia Tech's victory in the ACC Championship Game had far-reaching sporting consequences for the
2008 ACC Championship Game
After poor attendance in the ACC Championship Game at Jacksonville for the second straight year, ACC officials and representatives of the conference's member schools elected not to extend the Gator Bowl Association's contract to host the game.[62] On December 12, the ACC announced that Tampa, Florida would host the game in 2008 and 2009 and Charlotte, North Carolina would host the game in 2010 and 2011.[62]
The cities were chosen based on bids presented to the ACC and its member schools. Each city requested and was granted a two-year contract, locking the ACC into the locations well in advance of the actual games. Tampa was chosen as the site of the 2008 game because Charlotte was scheduled to hold the annual convention of the Association for Career and Technical Education at the same time as the game, and adequate hotel space would not be ready in time for the two events.[63]
Bowl effects
With its win, Virginia Tech clinched an automatic bid to the 2008 Orange Bowl.[64] This caused ripple effects in the bowl destinations for virtually every bowl-eligible ACC team.[65] In the 2007 season, the ACC had guaranteed tie-ins with eight bowl games.[66]
The ACC's representatives to these bowls were picked in a hierarchical system that allowed the
With Virginia Tech earning an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl, the Chick-fil-A Bowl had the first pick of the remaining ACC teams. Boston College, by virtue of its loss in the ACC Championship Game, was the highest remaining team, but Chick-fil-A Bowl representatives instead chose to invite Clemson, which had finished behind Boston College in the Atlantic Division standings.[68] In making their decision, Chick-fil-A Bowl representatives cited Boston College's poor attendance at the ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville.[69] The Gator Bowl, which is also held in Jacksonville, was reluctant to choose a team that had participated in the ACC Championship Game out of fear that the team's fans would be unwilling to return to Jacksonville so quickly. The Gator Bowl Association requested and received a waiver from the league's strict bowl selection rules and selected Virginia over Boston College.[68][70]
The Champs Sports Bowl was thus forced to select Boston College.[68] Boston College players and fans, owing to the decreased status of the Champs Sports Bowl when compared with the Orange, Chick-fil-A, and Gator Bowls, were disappointed with the selection and match against Michigan State.[71] Had Boston College won the ACC Championship Game, it would have earned the automatic bid to the Orange Bowl, and Virginia Tech would have been selected by the Chick-fil-A Bowl, which had earlier expressed an interest in inviting the Hokies to the game for a second straight year.[69] Clemson would have been bumped down to the Gator Bowl, and Virginia would have been forced into the Champs Sports Bowl.[65]
See also
Other conference championship games
- 2007 SEC Championship Game
- 2007 Big 12 Championship Game
- 2007 MAC Championship Game
- 2007 Conference USA Football Championship Game
Notes
- ^ Official number of tickets sold. Estimates of actual attendance are far lower.
- ^ ACC invites Miami, Va. Tech Tim Candon, The Daily Tar Heel, June 26, 2003. Accessed September 30, 2018. Archived from the original Archived 2009-07-21 at archive.today on July 21, 2009.
- ^ "Virginia Tech sealing move to ACC". USA Today. June 28, 2003. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
- ^ Eagles' move just another BCS-windle Brendan Hall, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, October 24, 2003. Accessed September 30, 2018. Archived from the original Archived 2009-07-22 at archive.today on July 22, 2009.
- ^ ACC expansion doesn't concern members of SEC Tim Vacek, Gannett News Service, July 8, 2003. Accessed December 6, 2007.
- ^ Inaugural Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game Archived 2008-05-13 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference. Accessed December 6, 2007.
- ^ 2006 Dr Pepper ACC Championship Archived 2007-10-19 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference. Accessed December 6, 2007.
- ^ 2007 ACC Football Preseason Poll Announced Archived 2007-12-28 at the Wayback Machine ACC Press release, July 23, 2007. Accessed December 6, 2007.
- ^ Miami Edges FSU In Rivalry Game Archived 2007-11-23 at the Wayback Machine Florida State University, October 20, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2007.
- ^ 2007 NCAA Football Rankings - Week 8 (Oct. 21) ESPN.com, Accessed December 7, 2007.
- ^ Tigers swarm Hokies in Death Valley, 48-7 Archived 2008-01-05 at the Wayback Machine Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, September 9, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2007.
- ^ Boston College faces toughest test of the season in Blacksburg ESPN.com. Accessed December 7, 2007.
- ^ a b c BC rains on Hokies' parade with 14-10 victory Archived 2007-12-01 at the Wayback Machine Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, October 25, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2007.
- ^ Noles end Boston College's dream start to season Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com, November 5, 2007. Accessed February 2, 2008.
- ^ BC Falls to Maryland, 42-35 Archived 2007-12-14 at the Wayback Machine Boston College Athletic Department, November 11, 2007.
- ^ No. 15 Boston College Tops Miami, 28-14 Archived 2007-11-28 at the Wayback Machine Boston College Athletic Department, November 24, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2007.
- ^ Hokies win Coastal division with 33–21 defeat of UVa Archived 2007-11-28 at the Wayback Machine Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, November 24, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2007.
- ^ a b Slumping ticket sales could force ACC title game out of Jacksonville The Associated Press, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c Rebounding Hokies Ready for Rematch Mark Long, The Associated Press, November 30, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ Hokies cover in ACC Championship Game Covers.com and the Associated Press, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c Virginia Tech Opponent History, Boston College Virginia Tech Sports Information Department. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b Frenette, Gene. "ACC Game staying, at least through '07". Jacksonville Times-Union, February 7, 2007. Accessed February 10, 2008.
- ^ It's time for ACC game to move on Archived 2007-12-03 at the Wayback Machine Gene Frenette, Jacksonville Times-Union, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ David Teel, "ACC Championship Might Move". The Daily Press, Hampton Roads, Virginia. November 29, 2007. Accessed February 10, 2008.
- ^ Tampa to make case to get ACC title game Brian Landman, St. Petersburg Times, November 13, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ Four cities bidding for ACC Championship Game Archived 2007-08-13 at the Wayback Machine Robbi Pickeral, ACC Now, The News & Observer, July 24, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ "Fans will vote with ticket sales for ACC". The Florida Times-Union. November 27, 2007. Archived from the original on November 29, 2007. Retrieved December 11, 2007.
- ^ Boston College's Matt Ryan Named ACC Player of the Year Archived 2008-10-14 at the Wayback Machine The Associated Press, November 28, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Hoyer studies Eagles quarterback, eager for matchup Jon Schultz, The State News, December 10, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Tigers rate edge over sputtering Eagles[permanent dead link] Nolan Nawrocki, ProFootballWeekly.com, November 14, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Ryan comes through in the clutch for Boston College Chris Low, ESPN.com, November 18, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ a b An unusual dual threat at QB Jim McConnell, The Free-Lance Star, November 22, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Kilgore, Adam. "A Feel-Good Ending". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 11, 2007.
- ^ ACC Championship Preview: Boston College vs. Virginia Tech, Part II Chris Agresti, BleacherReport.com, November 28, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Hokies' Ore finally back to his old self[permanent dead link] The Associated Press, November 19, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Hokies edge rival Virginia for bagging rights, conference championship bid Heather Dinich, ESPN.com, November 24, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Boston College holds off Clemson with late TD[permanent dead link] Sports Network, November 18, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ a b c Football Game Preview: ACC Championship Game TechSideline.com, November 28, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Hokies, Eagles meet for ACC title, possible spot in Orange Bowl ESPN.com, Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ CFB: Boston College suspends running back Brooks The Associated Press, November 26, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ The Associated Press, "Virginia Tech's Hall to return vs. Miami". November 13, 2007. Accessed February 10, 2008.
- ^ a b c ACC Championship Game Notes (PDF) Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, November 2007. Page 16. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ a b "2007 Champs Sports Bowl Game Notes", Boston College Athletics Communications Office, December 2007. Page 4. Accessed February 10, 2008.
- ^ Hokies ride Glennon's arm, Taylor's legs to ACC crown ESPN.com, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c Scoring Summary (Final) Archived 2008-11-22 at the Wayback Machine (PDF). The Atlantic Coast Conference, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ Falling attendance disappoints ACC Andrew Carter, Orlando Sentinel, December 2, 2007. Accessed October 1, 2021.
- ^ Team selection an extended process for Chick-fil-A Bowl Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com, December 6, 2007. Accessed December 9, 2007.
- ^ Chart: National Sports Ratings for Week of Nov. 26-Dec. 2 Archived 2007-12-09 at the Wayback Machine Andrew Krukowski, TVWeek.com. Accessed December 13, 2007.
- ^ See image.
- ^ Wounded Warriors Participate in Coin Toss for 2007 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Archived 2011-01-01 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game Postgame Notes (PDF) Archived 2008-04-14 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e 1st Qtr Play-by-Play ESPN.com, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 9, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j 2nd Qtr Play-by-Play ESPN.com, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 9, 2007.
- ^ a b Instant Analysis: ACC Championship Game Archived 2007-12-02 at the Wayback Machine Matt Zemek, Scout.com, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f 3rd Qtr Play-by-Play, ESPN.com, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h 4th Qtr Play-by-Play ESPN.com, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c d Team Statistics (Final) (PDF) Archived 2008-04-14 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ Glennon's 3 TD passes help No. 6 Hokies win ACC title, 30-16 over No. 12 BC The Associated Press, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Individual Statistics (Final) (PDF) Archived 2008-04-14 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- ^ a b Defensive Statistics (Final) (PDF) Archived 2008-04-14 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 13, 2007.
- ^ Jacksonville sees bigger boost from ACC football championship The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area, December 7, 2007. Accessed December 12, 2007.
- ^ a b ACC Announces Future Sites for Football Championship Game Archived 2008-05-13 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference, December 12, 2007. Accessed December 12, 2007.
- ^ ACC title game going to Tampa and Charlotte Tony Quesada, Jacksonville Business Journal, December 12, 2007. Accessed December 12, 2007.
- ^ Hokies to face Kansas in FedEx Orange Bowl Archived 2007-12-08 at the Wayback Machine Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, December 3, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.
- ^ a b Multiple bowl destinations hinge on ACC title game Andy Bitter, the News-Advance, November 30, 2007. Accessed September 30, 2018. Archived from the original on December 20, 2007.
- ^ 2007-08 Atlantic Coast Conference Bowl Tie-Ins and BCS Bowl Schedule Archived 2008-05-15 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference. Accessed December 13, 2007.
- ^ 2007 Bowl Selection Process for Atlantic Coast Conference Teams Archived 2008-08-30 at the Wayback Machine The Atlantic Coast Conference, October 1, 2007. Accessed December 13, 2007.
- ^ a b c 2007-08 Bowl schedule ESPN.com, December 2, 2007. Accessed December 13, 2007.
- ^ a b Team selection an extended process for Chick-fil-A Bowl Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com, December 6, 2007. Accessed December 13, 2007.
- ^ ACC gives Gator Bowl more flexibility Tony Quesada, Jacksonville Business Journal, December 15, 2006. Accessed December 13, 2007.
- ^ Champs Sports Bowl: Boston College didn't want to face Michigan State The Detroit Free Press, December 11, 2007. Accessed December 13, 2007.